Signal



M. H. RHODE-s 1,895,399

SIGNAL Filed Feb. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 24, 1933.l

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fol/16W /69 87 Patented Jau.v 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IAECUB H. RHODES, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB T0 I. H. BHODB, INC., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE sIeNAL Application Med February 14, 1931 vSerial No. 515,727.

lclass described which is adapted to ring a bell or perform a similar function at the expiration of a period of time predetermined adjustable means on the signal; the rovision of a signal of the class described w ich may be set in operation or disconnected at will; a signal of the class described which is adapted to react quickly and positively without depending uponv the delicate timin mechanism per se for the impulsion which e fects the signal; the provision of a si al of the class described which is simple amldccuratein operation; the provision of a combination including a signal of the class described and an electric switch whereby a variety of functions` ma be performed at the expiration of the predyetermined time interval; and the provision of a signal of the class described which is sim le in construction and operation, and w ich requires a minimum number of complicated, moving parts. Other objects will be in part ohvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exem lified in the structure hereinafter described), and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustratedone of various possible embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a iiush face plate 'carrying a signal embodying the present in- 5 on line 5 5 of 4;

Fig. 6 is an ideal section taken Fig.' 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 5; and, v

F ig.y 8 is a cross section similar to Fig. 5 showingthe signal in advanced condition of operation.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated at numeral 1 a cover plate for the present signal. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover plate 1 is similar in appearance to a flush face plate generally used for mounting of electrical switches and the like. Centrally disposed in' the cover plate 1 is'an opening 3 which permits the passage of a control handle 5to available manipulating position. A second opening 2 in the cover plate 1 permits the passa of a time controlxlever 4 to available manlpulating position. A third opening 6 in the plate 1 is provided for the purpose of reading suitable indicia on an indicator wheel 113 for establishing a time interval as will be describedhereinafter.

Supported on the cover or face plate 1 by sul toI

will be seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The mounting plate 11 has extending at right angles therefrom a pair of sideward portions 21 and 23. A plate 25, which is shaped with substantially the same form as the housing 13, is attached to portion 23 by means of rivets or spot welding or the like as indicated at numeral 27 (Fig. 5). Mounted at one side in the plate 25, and at the other side in the sideward portion21,is a pin 29, upon which the control handle 5 is rotated.

The switch control handle 5 comprises a semi-circular portion 31 from which extends jection 37.

-A es "5 moving d Vsrlsilfgile a bell 78 su ported on the .by me'sofa-p ar. or the like so.

a knob 33 for manipulation purposes. The back concealed (in the assembled switch) portion of the switch 5 is reduced in thickness as at numeral (Figs. 5 and 6) and has a 5 contour including a projection 37 having a n'ose 39k thereon, and a depression, or hollowed-out portion 41. The pin 29 upon which the handle' 5 is rotated passes through the thin portion 35, in the region of the pro- Mounted rigidly on the switch handle 5, embracing the thin portion 35 thereof, and extending into the depression 41, is a saddle member 43. This saddle 43 comprises a pair of legs 45, which fit snugly against the `sides of the handle 5 and a cross-piece 47 at right angles to the legs 45. The pin 29 passes through the legs 45. The cross-piece 47 engages the nose 39 of the projection 37 of the switch 5, whereby the saddle 43 is, relative torotation on the pin 29, fixed to the handle 5. That is to say, the saddle 43 is mounted on the handle 5 in a fixed, non-rotatable manner. The cross-piece 47 is provided with a nose 49 which engages'one end of a compression spring 51 to be described more iii detail hereinafter.

l Associated with the saddle 43 is a move- 'ment limitin means for the handle 5 (see Fig. 7). T e movement limiting means per seA comprises a flat h shaped piece 53, having parallel legs 55 and 57, and a single exten ing leg 59. The leg 55 Apasses loosely through a pair of holes 61 in the legs 45 of the saddle 43. The single extending leg 59 p'. through a slot 63 having a predetermined length in the plate 25, and projects a shortdistance beyond said plates 25 for winding ur oses as will be described more fully hereina r. Considering that the saddle 43 is fixed to the handle 5, and that the plate v25 is relatively a part of the` stationary ound wherein the handle 5 rotates, it will seen that engagement of the single extend- 4 5 ing leg 59 with the ends of the slot 63 limits therotationl or movement of the handle 5.

Also mounted on the pin 29, in this instance-rotatably mounted, is a second saddle 65 embracing the saddle 43. The saddle 65,` hereinafter termed the hammer saddle, comprises 'a pair of relatively long legs 67,

throu h enoug to permit of ready' rotation), and a hammer 'portion69 at' right angles thereto. The hammer portion 69 has a nose v71 thereon which engages the other end of the compression sprin 51. Movement of the hammer lsaddle is limited by a air of ears 73 struck from the ,plate 25. ormedat the end of the'hammer saddle 65 is a cla per` arm 7 4 which projects through a slot 76 in the housing 13 in suitable ousing 13 It will'seen that thesaddles 43 and 65 which the pin 29 'passes (loosely -tlie assembly osition to E through the saddle 43, compresses the spring 51 against the saddle 65, which is immovable because ,of its engagement with the righthand ear 73, until the saddles 43 and 65 pass the parallel position, at which time the conipressed spring reacts to suddenly throw the hammer saddle 65 to the'left against the lefthand movement-limiting ear 73 (see Fig. 8).

A similar reaction and overcentering action causes the'hammer saddle 65 to snap sharply from its Fig. 8 to its Fig. 5 position, when the handle 5 is incved to the rightfrom its Fig. 8 position.

In the present embodiment, the signal means .comprising the present invention is shown as combined with an electrical switch. It is to be understood, however, that the invention includes the elements heretofore described alone, without the addition of the electrical contacting means to be described hereinafter. In other words, the signal may be operated only as a signal without eli'ecting any electrical circuit making and breaking, f

or it may be combined as illustrated,I with an electrical switch adapted to be operated at the time the signal is efected.

Theelectrical connections in the present embodiment of the signal will be seen particularly in Figs. 4 and 5. The exterior terminals 15 and 17 com rise, respectively, metallic strips 75 and 7 which are held to the housing 13 by means of screws ".7 9, and which receive in threaded engagement .screws 81. .By means of the screws 81, exterior connections to the switch are made. strip 75 extends into the housing 13, spaced from the side wall thereof, and is provided with a slanting knife-edge contacting por tion 83. The metallic stri 77 extends into the housing 13, also spaced om the s ide wall thereof, and is provid d .with a knife-edge contacting portion 85 similar to the contacting portion 83, but facing oppositely.

Formed in interior of the'housing 13 is a protruding ear 87. vA pin or shaft 89 passes throu the side 4of the housing 1 3y and threa edly engages the ear 87 (see Fig. 6). .Oii the pin 89 is rotatably mounted 'a contactor bar-anvil assembly 91. The parts 'of 91 are non-rotatable or otherwise movable relative to each other, but the ,assembly as a whole rotates freely on the pin 89.

able spacing washers, all mounted on a sleeve 97 through which passes the pin 89. The anvil piece 93, preferably formed of insulating material,'ncludes a notch 99 which engagesthe hammer portion 69 of the hammer saddle 65 (see Fig. 5). The contactor bar comprises a pair ofspring-'metal strips Lacasse 101 shaped to and'dise age, byy rotation on the pin 89, the knifege contacting` strips 83 and 85. The relative shape of the bar 95- and the s acing of the contacting strips 83 and 85 will apparent from Fig. 5. As the hammer saddle snaps from one osition to the other, as described hereinbeore, the clapper arm 74 is caused to strike sharply against the bell 78, thus effecting a musical note or signal. Simultaneously wlth the ringing of the bell 78, the hammer saddle 65, on account of its engagement with the notch 99 in the anvil piece 93, causes the assembly 91 to rotate as a whole on the in 89 and co uently causes the contacter ar to rotate into and out of contact with the pieces 83 and 85. Thus, establishing of a signal and contemporaneous making and breaking of anV electrical connection` from terminal 15 to terminal 17 are effected in a sudden, snap-acting manner by simple' movement of the switch control handle 5.

The foregoing description has been made lwithout regardto the time controlling mechanism which is adapted to permit the hammer saddle 65 to swing) only upon expira.- tion of suitable, adjusta le, periods of time. The time controlling mechanism is indicated generally by numeral in Fig. 4. So far as the present invention is concerned, it is not necessary to describe in detail this time controlling mechanism 105; the details of its construction may be found by reference to my Patent Number 1,773,697 dated August Broadly described, the timing mechanism 105 includes a main spring whlch is wound by manipulation of the control handle 5, whereby enga ement of the lprojection 59 of the h shapedg rtion 53wit aratohetwheel 107 on the malnspring shaft of the timing train, is brought about. The projection 59 is permitted freely to operate in this manner, as the slot 63 is wide enough (see Figs. 5 and 8) to permit lateral movement of said projection as it rides over successive teeth on its A Y backwards stroke.

A suitable coil spring see Fig. 7 )4 is desir-ably pxrovided to urge t e projection 59 against t e ratchet wheel 107 at all times. A gear train indicated generally by numeral 109, and an escapement mechanism 111 at the end of the gear train 109 permit the main spring to unwind only.

at a slow rate after it has been wound by manipulation of the control handle 5.

It will be seen that the amount of winding or extent of torque placed in the main sprinv v is a function of numberof times the contro handle 5 is manipulated. Further, the torque in the main spring is a function of the angular displacement of its shaft. For purposes of indicating the amount of torque placed in the main ring and consequently for providing an indication of the amount of time during which the time control mechanism will function, the indicator wheel .113 is Erol vided having suitable indicia thereon. T ese indicia are viewed from the front of the signal through the openin 6 in the face plate 1. tl.1By means of a suitab e lug on a portion of e tate The lever 115 has a projection or latch 117 thereon which extends through the plate 25 and is positioned in a location adapted to interce t the motion of the hammersaddle 65. e lever 115 is fixedly attached to a pin 119, which has projecting therefrom the time control lever 4. v

Referring more particularly, to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the latch 117 is rotated into and out of engagement with the hammer saddle 65 through an arc determined by a slot 118 in the plate 25. When the latch 115 is in its lower osition, it does not intercept mover train 109, a latch lever 115 is ro- Y ment of t e hammer saddle 65which is accordingly permitted to swing freel under the control of the main handle 5. owever, when the latch 115 is in its upper position, it acts to intercept rightward motion of the hammer saddle 65. The lever 4 is arranged so that by manipulation thereof, the latch 117 can be brought into and out of engagement with the hammer saddle 65. Further, the time control mechamsm 105 is adapted to pushvsaid latch 117 downwardly to disengage the hammer saddle 65 after the expiration of a predetermined interval of time, as described more fully in my said patent. v

The operation of the present invention'is as follows: l

With the time lever 4 set to its Off osition, manipulation of the control han le 5 swings thehammer saddle 65 as described ringing the bell 78 and making and breaking electrical contact. However, when the j lever 4 is moved to On position, moving of the control handle 5 from Off to On lpsition results in winding the main sprin and moving thek latch 117 into position to intercept the motion of the hammer saddle 65,'so that u n return-of the control handle 5 to its O position the hammer saddle 65 does not' swing until a redeterminedy time has elapsed. The time elay is a function of the number of times the control handle 5 is 'm'anipulated, as described in said patent. After the timing mechanism has run down to normal, or rest position, the latch 117 is removed from the ath of the hammer saddle 65 and said sadd e is permitted to swing, under inlluence of the compression spring 51, tearing'.

. a signal, ringing thefbell 78 without-e ect- 'i ing any electrical connections or disconnections;

It will ofcourse be understood that forms of mounting, such as the face plate 1 and the 5 housin 13 may be substituted for by suitable other orms ofencasings, without departing from the yspirit ofthe invention. V

The present invention is particularly adaptedfor installationyon large machines l@ and the like, where a time delay is essential to proper mani ulation of the machine. In such installations, it is to be noted that the control handle 5 may be connected by a suitable linkage to some moving part of the machine so that the winding of the signal is accomplished by the movement of the machine itself and no manual operation thereof is necessary.A Similarly, the time interval or time delay, after/,which the signal is efected, may 9 be regulated by suitably designing the time delay mechanism 105.

In view of the above, it Will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results atu tained.. l

. As manychanges could be made in carrying out the above constructions without dearting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained inthe.

3 above description-or shown in the accompany drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

icim': 1 b 1i l1 si a com rising a e a c ap er adapted strike psaid bell, a time deljayv means, a latch controlled by said time de'- lay means adapted to prevent operation of said clapper to strike said bell until a predetermined time interval has elapsed, a lever 0 adapted to throw said latch into and out of position regardless of said time delay means, and a control handle adapted, onmovement in one direction, to position vsaid clapper for strikin said bell, and on movement'in the other- 'rection, to throw said clapper in a direction for striking said bell.

2. Atime-delay signal device comprising a bell, a reciprocable control handle, a reciprocable hammer saddle, and an over-cenl tering sprin between said handle and said hammer sad le, a clapper'associated with said latch is associated with and operated by an escapement and timing train, said timin train having a motivating main spring, an means connecting the said control handle and said timing train whereby reciprocation of said control handle winds said main spring, in such manner that the extent of winding of the main spring is proportional to the number of reciprocations of the control handle.

5. A device as in claim 2, in which further means are provided for optionally rendering said latch inoperative to intercept said hammer saddle. l l In testimony-whereof, I have signed my name lto this specification this 10th day of February, 1931.

' MARCUS H. RHODES.

hammer saddle and extending into a position ada ted to strike said bell, and a time-contro ed latch positionable to intercept and prevent reciprocationof said hammer saddle or a. predetermined time interval upon the ex iration of which interval said hammer dle is actuated by said spring to move said clapper to strike said bell.

"W 3. A device as in claim 2in which the latch islassociated with and operated by an escapement and timing train, said timing train being empowered to action by reciprocation of said control handle.

'4. A device as in claim 2,-in which the.

ICQ 

